


The Fifth Great Migration

by Lilithangel



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-04
Updated: 2012-08-04
Packaged: 2017-11-11 09:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/477297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilithangel/pseuds/Lilithangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Humanity spreads out to the stars and there are many stories of the man who doesn’t die and a mad man in a blue box that can sometimes save the day. This is one of those stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fifth Great Migration

Our people have always travelled, always looked toward a new horizon. So when the Earth grew too small we looked to the stars and headed out on the first available ships we could afford. My grandfather told stories of how we strived to raise the money to take everyone, how the elders turned out to be the most in favour of leaving, telling tales of caravan journeys across continents drawn by four legged creatures rather than the air and water power we use now. In the end Old Father made the decision that we would go, that the universe would provide us with a new journey.

The ships weren’t the newest or nicest but they were sturdy and safe even when I was born in the last years of what would be called the Fourth Great Migration. The first two were so long ago there is nobody left to remember them except possibly one man and one stranger. I will tell you about them soon.

Your grandfather can tell you stories about the second and third great migrations. Stories told to him by his father and his father’s mother, but this is my story. Well, my story is the story of two others but it is my story because I was there at Snarling Ridge and I was there before when the first stranger who wasn’t a stranger arrived.

Not long after I was born the Fourth Great Migration came to an end when we found a world unlike anything before. We had not stopped at the earlier worlds where others landed. The first were too crowded with folks looking for a New Earth and later ones were too closed off with folk who wanted only their own kind around them. When this world was found the elders knew this was our home. It was a beautiful orange from space and had a wandering orbit around two stars that reminded us of ourselves.

I grew up surrounded by fields of red grass that we harvested for a spice my grandfather said was like something they used to make. It was the trade of this spice; yes I mean Zaatr of course my apologies for not being clear. Now where was I? Oh yes, we started to trade Zaatr with other worlds and people started come to our world to trade with us.

Our family moved to the port for work and schooling so I was there when death rained from the sky. They were metal creatures and they only wished for our destruction. I watched many die that first day and just when I thought I would be joining them I watched a miracle.

Some were trying to fight back including the crews of the docked ships. I had gone down to watch the ships arrive instead of helping my mother with the housework and I was hiding between some boxes when a man died in front of me. I don’t mind telling you I was scared. Bolts of fire were streaking through the sky and killing everything they touched but this man I had seen die gasped back to life in front of my eyes. He saw me hiding there and put a finger to his lips as the chaos moved past us further into the town.

“My name’s Jack,” he said as he sat up, “where’s your family?”

I pointed back into the settlement where I could see flames licking the sky.

“I want you to stay where you are until I come and get you,” Jack said, “you’ll be safe if you stay hidden.”

“How are you not dead?” I had to ask him. “Everyone else is dead.”

“A gift,” he told me. I didn’t understand what he meant because the look on his face didn’t seem like he thought it was a gift. I didn’t have time to ask what he meant though because he was off and running.

I watched as he dodged laser fire and made it into one of the docked ships. I was afraid he was just going to leave. It’s funny how quickly I trusted him, maybe I was in shock maybe it was awe at him coming back to life but I was relieved when he started firing on the metal creatures. He’d picked a small lightly armed runabout but he flew it like your uncle pilots his skimmer.

The metal creatures had a larger craft and finally it managed to hit his ship, but you wouldn’t believe it, he flew his own straight into the bigger ship and drove it to crash into the Zaatr fields.

I stayed where I was and just hoped he would survive the crash and come back for me. The metal creatures seemed to pull back after he took down their craft but I could still smell fires and hear laser fire so I knew it wasn’t over. It was nearly dark and I had started and abandoned several plans to get home before he returned. The port had fallen silent and I knew there was nobody else alive around me. He took my hand and told me not to look around as he picked our way back toward the settlement.

We had to hide several times from the creatures but he whispered to me that it would be all right and someone was coming who would help.

The settlement had been damaged but didn’t seem to be as bad as the port and I was very happy to see my home was intact. Nobody answered the door when Jack knocked and I was scared when he opened it and went to enter. Scared that nobody would be there or that they couldn’t answer. Jack came nose to muzzle with auntie’s blast rifle and stopped.

“I think this little lady belongs here,” Jack said calmly and aunty lowered her rifle with a gasp.

It was chaos for the next few minutes as everyone had to be sure I was okay and then question Jack about what happened. Everyone was suspicious and scared and aunty kept a tight hold of her rifle. Then it fell silent when Old Father stepped forward.

“I know you,” he said to Jack, “you’re the mechanic, Jack Flash.”

Jack looked at Old Father and then smiled. “Anton, you still owe me a drink, old friend.”

Old Father laughed. “You’re twenty years too late for that Jack Flash, but we do have Grappa.”

It was a long time before anyone would tell me what Jack really meant about Old Father buying him a drink and you’re far too young to know. Over Grappa Old Father told of meeting Jack back on old Earth before the Third Great Migration when he was doing something that made Jack laugh and Old Father suddenly seem very young. Aunty demanded to know how Jack could have met Old Father so long ago and look so young and Old Father said it was Bad Wolf. I’ve told you tales of Bad Wolf haven’t I? Well that certainly explained Jack’s comment about a gift. Bad Wolf’s gifts are never joyous things; wondrous and terrifying but never joyous.

Jack explained that these metal monsters were dedicated to destroying humanity. He called the monsters Daleks but I refused to give them the power of a name and still do, but if you ever hear the name whispered run away, promise me that, okay? 

Bad Wolf had wiped most of them from history but they seemed impossible to stop. He talked of the Oncoming Storm, that’s the Doctor, I haven’t told you about him but don’t worry he comes up in the story soon. Old Father had talked of the Storm in relation to Bad Wolf but we knew very little about him. Jack seemed to know a lot more and he said we just had to hold on until the Doctor arrived.

So we held on. Jack was invaluable in the war but he seemed to diminish every day the Doctor didn’t appear except when he was teasing Old Father and me. Grandmother didn’t want me to go out when the monsters were flying but Old Father said I was old enough and I was following Jack anyway so I might as well carry a blaster. They glared at each other for ages before Grandmother nodded.

I learned to shoot at my mother’s knee just like you did, some traditions will never die, but Jack taught me how to make every shot count. I think Old Father thought that having me around would make Jack more cautious and maybe it did but it was hard to be cautious when monsters roamed the skies. Our weapons were useless in a direct attack but with Jack’s help we set traps and brought down buildings on them, and held our own.

In quieter times Jack would tell me stories of the Doctor, his friend who would save the day so long as we held on. The stories ranged from the ridiculous to the impossible and Jack believed every one.

Food started to get scarce and although we are used to not having enough I could tell Grandmother and Old Father were getting worried. Jack started making longer trips in search of food and others who had survived. It was bittersweet that every time he returned with food he returned with more mouths to fill. Every survivor was a happy reunion but they arrived with lists of the dead as well and the elders voices grew hoarse with mourning songs.

When word came that auntie’s mate had died on the docks she shattered. She and Jack had developed a warrior’s respect and he held her as she grieved. Until she tried to run out and confront the monsters and then he held her back while she screamed at him for lying to them about help arriving.

Jack looked so sad when Grandmother finally took aunty away to sleep and Old Father offered him a drink. I don’t think they knew I was there in the shadows as they talked. The Doctor Jack talked about wasn’t the same as the one he’d talked about to me. This Doctor was darker more dangerous and not as nice but Jack obviously still loved him. He stilled believed the Doctor would arrive to stop the monsters but he was worried that something had gone wrong or the Doctor was fighting another battle.

Jack talked to Old Father about causing a diversion to give those of us still left a chance to escape. I couldn’t believe Old Father would even consider the idea because Jack’s idea would leave him trapped on the planet while we escaped. I must have made a noise because they stopped talking and looked around.

“We can’t leave Jack behind,” I said when they saw me. “Jack, they would destroy you.”

“Can’t die remember,” Jack said and I glared him into silence.

“That’s not the point and you know it,” I told him. 

“I can’t let people keep dying kiddo,” he said, “We need to get the survivors somewhere safe.”

“You said your Doctor would come and save us, have you given up on him?” Now I was scared. Jack had never looked so grim and determined.

“Have you given up on me Jack?” another voice interrupted. A young looking man in a tweed jacket and a strange hat was standing in the doorway and none of us had noticed his arrival.

“Doctor?” Jack said in surprise. “New look.”

“Do you like it?” the Doctor turned in the light.

“It could grow on me,” Jack said, “not sure about the Stetson though.”

“Stetson’s are cool,” the Doctor said.

“You’re Jack’s Doctor?” I said to be sure. The face in front of me didn’t match Jack’s stories but Jack seemed pretty certain.

“Not sure about that,” the Doctor scratched the side of his face the way your brother does when he’s nervous, “but I am the Doctor.”

“Where have you been?” I demanded.

“I think that’s my line,” Jack said with a quick laugh. Just seeing this Doctor seemed to have relaxed Jack in one sense but I’d been by his side for long enough to see the tension in his stance and wariness normally associated with facing down the monsters. “Seriously Doc, we needed you here.”

“Yes well, there were some things,” the Doctor said, rather evasively I thought. “I got here as fast as I could but some things had to happen.” He looked sad this Doctor with the funny face, sad like Old Father looked when he remembered old friends long lost. “But I’m here now,” the Doctor said rubbing his hands together, “let’s see what we can do to put a stop to things.”

Nobody knew how to react to the Doctor once he was really there. I don’t think many believed Jack’s stories and this Doctor wasn’t that impressive despite his intelligence. He talked of strange things and wandered off in strange directions. Grandmother liked him though, she said he was one of the trickster kin and we would do well to listen to him. 

The Doctor and Jack circled each other like two shinctze bucks. When they were planning with Old Father on how to defeat the monsters and fixing up the equipment Jack had salvaged they worked together like life partners anticipating each other passing over tools and even finishing each other’s sentences like your mothers do. But then they would stop and start circling again. Jack would look at the Doctor sometimes with such sadness I wanted to put my arms around him and never let go. Yes I did have a crush on Jack; it was easy to do. It was nothing like the way I felt about my Massimo although I didn’t know it then because we had not met. I hated that look in Jack’s eyes and I wanted the Doctor to fix it.

“You look at Jack funny,” I told the Doctor one day. “Like he’s too bright to look at directly. You squint and then look away. It hurts Jack when you look away, why do you do it?”

“Jack is like looking into the sun,” the Doctor said. “I don’t mean to hurt him you know but sometimes things happen that hurt people.”

“In Jack’s stories you hated guns,” I said watching him create one.

“I still do,” he replied, “but the monsters in the universe they sometimes don’t listen to words and actions have to speak.”

“You sound like aunty,” I said and he sighed.

“You know I took the title Doctor because I wanted to help people, wanted to fix them but the universe keeps making me a soldier just like this world made your aunty a soldier.” He put down his tools and looked at me. “The universe will always make soldiers but we do it so that it can make some people artists and other people grandmothers and others get to be leaders of peaceful times. Words are more important than guns, just sometimes you have to wait for a lull in the firing to speak.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” I told him and he laughed.

“The universe doesn’t make sense that’s what so great about it,” Jack said as he entered the room. The Doctor and I never had another conversation like that one and it took me many years to make sense of his words but they are good ones so think hard on them.

The plan was for the Doctor to lure the monsters away from the settlement and confront them. If they didn’t stop then Jack would activate the machine they had built. The Transdimensionater Jack called it when the Doctor called it a multidimensional translocation stasis thingy. They often used odd words together, I quickly figured out they were making it up but it made me smile and we had few reasons to smile as the monsters pressed their attacks. 

When they’d realised how to build the machine there had been a moment between them that seemed like it had happened before and Jack looked sad again. The Doctor had looked thoughtful and apologetic but hadn’t said anything, simply tossing Jack his clever shiny sonic screwdriver that only Jack was allowed to touch.

Jack and the Doctor had argued about who should distract the monsters while I stood with Grandmother and watched them.

“Those two are such foolish romantics,” Grandmother said to me.

“Romantics, I don’t understand?” I replied. 

“They love each other and they are too romantic so they are foolish,” she said.

“I know Jack loves the Doctor,” I said, “but the Doctor loves Jack? Why haven’t they told each other?”

“Because they are foolish as I said,” Grandmother replied. “Romantics believe they must be worthy of great love. Those two don’t believe they are worthy. Hearts big enough for the universe and yet no room for themselves.” She shook her head in exasperation.

Grandmother had some of the sight; she ignored it mostly saying it was cheating. Except for seeing people truly which she would use when I tried to avoid chores. Yes that’s where your mother gets it.

After Grandmother said it I could see it clearly. The Doctor did seem to be more animated around Jack, like your brother was with Sanjita from down the road, strutting like a peacock and looking for approval. And Jack was trying so hard to not let the Doctor see his feelings it looked like Jack didn’t care so the Doctor would say something clever and cutting to prove he didn’t care what Jack thought. It really was just like your brother and Sanjita.

The Doctor went to distract the monsters unsurprisingly, but I went with Jack to Snarling Ridge to set the machine in place. I went before anyone could stop me and Jack just smiled wryly and said I was definitely of Old Father’s line. We left the others holding back a vicious attack from the monsters. We’d learned enough not to face them directly leading them down blind alleys and into labyrinths of debris from their previous attacks. This time they started to blast away our cover from above before flying in and Old Father had to push us out of a side passage with the machine when it looked like Jack would try to help. Our people knew to fall back, give the monsters the impression they were winning for long enough for the Doctor to do whatever it was he planned to do to get them to Snarling Ridge when we were ready, but we knew there would be causalities.

We reached Snarling Ridge safely and I looked back over the settlement terrified of what I would see. The monsters had brought their lead ship in close, obviously certain of their success and from our position I could see just how little of the settlement was left. Something appeared in front of the lead ship. It was small and nimble appearing and disappearing from view, obviously as annoying as the flies that bug you in the wet season. I couldn’t make out a lot from a distance but it had straight lines and appeared blue.

The strange blue box winked into view in the valley below the ridge and the monsters followed like moths to a globe light. I realised that it was what had been dancing in front of the lead ship and that I had seen it in the settlement without paying it any real attention. The Doctor stepped out of the box and I thought for certain the monsters would kill him where he stood. Instead they hovered uncertainly when their weapons failed to reach him and he challenged them. The Doctor glanced up at our position and then stopped talking. I felt the crackle of energy that was the only warning of the monsters arrival and then Jack threw himself over me and I felt his blood seep into my clothes.

The Doctor cried out in rage and stepped away from whatever protection the box had given him and the monsters mocked him in their metallic voices.

“Do you really think it would be that easy?” the Doctor cried out. “You know me, you know what I am capable of so don’t be so stupid.”

I didn’t know what other plan the Doctor might have had, as far as I knew we only had the one plan and it looked pretty ruined to me. The Doctor didn’t seem afraid and continued to challenge them keeping them hovering uncertainly until I felt Jack shudder to life above me. The monster that had shot him had flown back to join the others and Jack leapt to his feet.

“You lot never learn do you? That’s why you’ll always lose to him,” Jack cried out activating the Transdimensionater. A huge rush of energy nearly pushed me off the ridge but Jack caught hold of me as the energy became a cone of spirally monsters firing wildly as they were pulled apart and shrunk into nothingness.

A strange silence fell around the ridge and I thought for a moment that I had gone deaf before Jack pulled me to my feet and hugged me.

“We did it kiddo,” he said happily, “got all the bastards. Like clockwork Doctor,” he called out as he released me. We looked down to see the Doctor lying in a crumpled heap.

Jack cried out in despair and half ran half tumbled down the ridge. I followed slightly slower being too afraid to risk his route. When I got to the pair the Doctor was laying across Jack’s lap blinking up at him in a daze.

“You idiot,” Jack said to the Doctor, “at least give me a chance to get used to this face.”

“It barely winged me Jack,” the Doctor said as Jack fussed over his wound. 

“More than barely,” Jack said, “I don’t think it hit anything vital, you may have a binary vascular systems but that just means there’s more to hit if you’re not careful.”

“I’ll be fine, I’m always fine,” the Doctor insisted. “Are you fine?”

“Of course I am,” Jack said, “why is it you always forget what I am at the worst moment?” his voice cracked slightly.

“Oh? Oh… oh…” the Doctor stared into Jack’s eyes as understanding dawned over Jack’s grief.

It was obvious Jack was completely failing to hide his feelings for the Doctor and it was just as obvious that the Doctor had no idea how to handle it. He wriggled out of Jack’s hold and got to his feet.

“See, all fine, right as rain. Is rain always right?” the Doctor babbled. “Never could figure out that one. I’ll just pop into the TARDIS and get myself fixed up.” He gestured at the blue box and winced slightly.

“Doctor…” Jack struggled to his feet.

“Yes?” the Doctor practically squeaked, one hand grasping for the opening behind him.

“Nothing.” Jack flicked the Doctor a salute and watched as the blue box disappeared.

Yes it disappeared. Jack’s gaze never wavered even as I gasped and ran through the space where the box had been. I’ve never seen the sort of technology that the Doctor’s box must have had again. Of course we’ve got transporters and some ships have the technology to hide themselves but this was just a little blue box and it dematerialised in front of my eyes. When it was gone and the strange noise faded away with it Jack smiled sadly and took my hand.

“Let’s go and make sure everyone’s alright,” he said and I knew that he wasn’t surprised the Doctor had left, saddened but not surprised.

There was no jubilant celebration when we returned to the settlement. Grandmother and Old Father were organising search parties to span out and find who was lost. Without the fear of the monsters we could finally search everywhere for survivors and food. Grandmother looked over Jack’s shoulder when we returned, to the empty space there and rolled her eyes, she wasn’t surprised either.

Jack helped as he always had, finding survivors and keeping our spirits up when the enormity of what had happened to our planet became apparent. When he wasn’t helping us Jack slipped away to work on the damaged space ships in what was left of the dock. 

“Will you go looking for the Doctor?” I asked him after following him one day.

“No point,” Jack said from under the command console, “nobody finds the Doctor. I’ve spent too much time looking and waiting for him to think anything has changed.”

“You could stay with us.” Of course I wanted him to stay; I did still have a crush on him even though I knew it would never be returned.

“Not a good idea, I’m a bit of a trouble magnet,” Jack said, “besides, you folks don’t need any more reminders of all the bad that happened. You’ve got a good chance to fix and resettle here, have good safe lives.”

Of course Jack wasn’t to know our future. None of us expected to have to leave our home again, but we are travellers and we are always prepared to move on. Old Father, Grandmother, Aunty and all the others may not travel with us this time but that is the way of our people.

I’m sorry, I got distracted. Yes, Jack did leave us just not the way he’d planned or anyone except perhaps Grandmother expected.

I had left Jack working on the ship he hoped would be salvageable to help clear the dock of debris. We’d established communications again and ships would be arriving soon to help. I stopped when I heard a noise, the noise that I’d only heard one thing make. When I looked back the blue box was there in front of Jack’s ship and the Doctor was standing by the door.

I was too far away to hear what the Doctor was saying to Jack but I saw Jack walk up to the Doctor and stare at him so I drifted closer hoping not to be noticed.

“Had to check on something,” the Doctor finished as I got closer.

“Everything sorted then?” Jack said.

“Almost,” the Doctor replied, “except maybe if you’d like to, you know…” he jerked his head at the box.

“Are you asking?” Jack said.

“Depends on if you’re answering,” the Doctor replied. “I know well, it’s been a while and I’m a different person again, and you’re the same but not, and there’s the wife to consider but she doesn’t seem to mind…”

“Okay,” Jack interrupted him, “what’s this about a wife?” I thought Jack would have been hurt by the Doctor mentioning a wife but he somehow seemed happier as he closed the gap with the Doctor and walked into the box.

“Long story,” the Doctor said as the door closed and the box disappeared.

No I haven’t seen the box or its occupants again. We rebuilt and carried on with our lives. I met Massimo and understood what Grandmother had said. Children were born and we thrived, until the erratic orbit that had so captivated us convinced us to leave. We will take our Zaatr to the stars and our people will be many across the planets and our stories will include the soldier and the doctor who saved us from the monsters.

I used to ask visitors about a strange blue box and there were many stories about it. Many adventures that didn’t always involve Jack or the Doctor I remembered but enough of them told of a laughing man who didn’t stay dead and a Doctor that helped save them even if he was more like a surgeon than a doctor at times and sometimes he was a soldier. Sometimes there were others in the story but Jack and the Doctor were still together and maybe they had finally realised that their hearts were really big enough for each other.

No, that’s enough for one day. We’ve got plenty of time for more stories on our journey. I will tell you the stories of Jack Flash that Old Father told me, at least the ones you are old enough to hear, and the stories the other travellers told me and maybe one day you will be able to add your own stories and pass them on to your children too. Let an old woman get her beauty rest, you never know who we might meet on our travels.

END

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the live journal community Winter Companion Summer/Winter holidays travelling edition.


End file.
